| M8 motorway | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Part of E05 and E16 | |
| Length: | 60.3 mi (97.0 km) |
| Existed: | 1965 – present |
| History: | Constructed 1965–1995 |
| Major junctions | |
| From: | Edinburgh City Bypass |
J2 → M9 motorway J8 → M73 motorway J13 → M80 motorway J21 → M74 motorway(June 2011) J22 → M77 motorway J30 → M898 motorway |
|
| To: | Langbank |
| Location | |
| Primary destinations: |
Livingston, Glasgow, Glasgow Airport, Paisley, Erskine Bridge, Greenock |
| Road network | |
The M8 is the busiest motorway in Scotland and one of the busiest in the United Kingdom.[1] It connects the country's two largest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and serves other large communities including Airdrie, Coatbridge, Greenock, Livingston and Paisley. The motorway is 60 miles (97 km) long - excluding a 6-mile (9.7 km) gap between the Glasgow suburb of Baillieston and Newhouse - and is notorious for traffic jams, especially its Central Glasgow section.
Contents |
With the advent of motorway-building in the United Kingdom in the late 1950s, the M8 was planned as one of a core of new motorways, designed to replace the A8 road as a high-capacity alternative for intercity travel. The motorway was constructed piecemeal in several stages bypassing towns, beginning in 1965 with the opening by Minister of State for Scotland George Willis of the bypass of Harthill. In 1968 the Renfrew Bypass was opened as the A8(M), becoming part of the M8 when the motorway to the west was connected.[2] The Glasgow inner city section was constructed between 1968 and 1972, using a scheme outlined in the Bruce Report, which was published as the Second World War was closing, and which set out a series of initiatives to regenerate the city. Bruce's scheme evolved into what would become the Glasgow Inner Ring Road, a motorway "box" which would encircle the city centre, connected to the Renfrew Bypass at its south western corner, and the Monkland Motorway (built over the former route of the Monkland Canal) towards Edinburgh at its north eastern corner. Together, these three sections of motorway make up the present day M8.
Most of the motorway's length was complete by 1980. Since then, the only additions have been a new interchange with the M80 motorway in 1992, and a 4-mile (6.4 km) eastern extension from Newbridge to the then-new Edinburgh City Bypass in 1995.[3] The Scottish Government plans to complete the one remaining unfinished section between Baillieston and Newhouse in the near future, providing three new motorway junctions to serve Coatbridge, Bargeddie and Holytown amongst others.[4]
From the Edinburgh City Bypass, the road runs west to junction with the M9 motorway (for the Forth Road Bridge), bypassing to the north of Livingston and south of Bathgate. It continues across Scotland's central Belt before abruptly terminating at Newhouse. The next section - originally designated the Monkland Motorway - begins on the boundary of the City of Glasgow at the M73 motorway junction (the main interchange for all routes south via the M74 motorway) before passing through the districts of Barlanark, Riddrie, Dennistoun and Townhead (following the route of the abandoned Monkland Canal) on the way directly into the city centre. The central section - the uncompleted Glasgow Inner Ring Road - contains numerous junctions serving local communities including Cowcaddens, Garnethill, Kelvingrove and Anderston. It then crosses the River Clyde on the Kingston Bridge, runs west through Kinning Park, Bellahouston and Hillington before leaving Glasgow. Continuing west, it bypasses Renfrew and Paisley (carrying traffic directly over what was the main runway at Renfrew Airport, closed in 1966) before serving Glasgow International Airport, running to the south of Erskine, and terminating at Langbank, around 10 miles (16 km) east of Greenock.[5]
The M8 nominally comprises sections of the international E-road network, namely E05 (Langbank-Baillieston)[6] and E16 (Newhouse-Edinburgh),[7] although neither is signposted - no such roads are in the United Kingdom.
The M8, more explicitly the Glasgow section, is unique amongst UK motorways in that it directly serves (and bisects) a large urban area, whereas most other motorways bypass such conurbations. The central Glasgow section is elevated above much of the surrounding area on a concrete viaduct, including a number of incomplete constructions including several pedestrian overpasses and adjoining arterial roads, and including slip roads that enter and exit in the fast (right-hand) lane. It contains one of the busiest river crossings in Europe at the Kingston Bridge.
There were successive failed attempts to build the southern flank of the Glasgow Inner Ring Road as defined by the Bruce Report. This section of road, which is an extension of the M74, differs in route from the original Bruce proposals of the late 1940s, and was intended to funnel long distance traffic from the north and south which is bound for the southern Clyde Coast and allow it to bypass the urban section of the M8. Following many years of intensive political discussion and legal battles, construction of the M74 Completion scheme began in 2008, and it opened in June 2011. Early indications are that the new road has been successful in reducing traffic levels on the urban section of the M8.
At present, traffic from the M73 and M80 is forced onto the eastern section of M8 which within 2 miles (3.2 km) converges from five lanes to two on the Kingston Bridge approaches. The result of this is often long periods of traffic congestion. A number of incentives were undertaken in an attempt to minimise delays on this section; these include restricting exits around the Kingston Bridge, a ramp metering programme, and expanded use of electronic signing above and beside the motorway as part of the CITRAC (Centrally Integrated TRAffic Control) system.[8][9]
Some segments contain potholes and other deformities such as cracks between lanes and warped or broken asphalt. These segments are concentrated in the Glasgow urban area.
In 2007 it was decided by Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government that a new motorway junction should be built at the Heartlands Development Site in Whitburn, where top of the range golf courses and state of the art hotels and houses are to be built. The roads in the Whitburn area in the west end of the town have been changed in 2008 for this new motorway junction and all remains now is for the road to be joined onto the M8 motorway at a new junction called J4a.
The control and management of the entire M8 is now under the umbrella of Traffic Scotland. This organisation is part of Transport Scotland which is in itself part of the Scottish Government. CITRAC no longer exists as a unit but has been split into two separate entities. Control of the traffic signal system in the Glasgow conurbation is by TrafCom (run wholly by Glasgow City Council). The Motorway and Trunk roads network is now controlled from a temporary, stand alone, centre on Broomielaw. This is staffed by Atkins PLC who won the contract for the operation after Glasgow City Council declined to bid when the contract came up for renewal in 2006. Staff from Glasgow City Council were transferred under TUPE conditions to ensure a continuing expertise in the management of the system.
Up to the minute traffic information is broadcast from the control room by Traffic Link. These broadcasts are taken by most of the local and national radio stations. Any stations which don't use the live broadcast, invariably obtain information from the REGIS information system or from the Traffic Scotland website.[10]
Traffic Scotland are at present preparing contracts for a purpose built Traffic Control Centre, the location of which is yet to be decided. This centre will be a state of the art control centre with command and control systems which will allow communication with contractors and the Roads Operating companies who are responsible for maintenance on the carriageway. Roadside telephones will be answered from the centre and breakdown services will be dispatched to aid stranded motorists. The centre is expected to be up and running within 5 years.
| M8 motorway | ||
| Eastbound exits | Junction | Westbound exits |
| M8 now terminates Edinburgh City Bypass A720 Edinburgh City Centre A71 |
J1 | Start of motorway Edinburgh City Bypass A720 Berwick upon Tweed (A1) |
| Edinburgh Airport, Stirling, Forth Road Bridge (A90) M9 | J2 | Stirling, Forth Road Bridge (A90) M9 |
| Livingston A899 | J3 | Livingston A899 |
| Bathgate, Broxburn, Livingston (West) (A779) A89 | J3a | Bathgate, Broxburn, Livingston (West) (A89) A779 |
| Bathgate, Whitburn, Falkirk A801 | J4 | Bathgate, Whitburn, Falkirk A801 |
| Harthill services | ||
| Shotts, Harthill (B7066) B7057 | J5 | Shotts, Harthill (B7066) B7057 |
| Start of motorway | J6 | Airdrie, Lanark, Motherwell, Wishaw, Cumbernauld (A723) A73 |
| Airdrie, Lanark, Motherwell, Wishaw (A723) A73 Non-motorway traffic |
Road continues as A8 towards Glasgow and Carlisle M74 | |
| Road continues as A8 towards Livingston and Edinburgh | J8 | Carlisle, Coatbridge (M74, A89) M73 Glasgow A8 Non-motorway traffic |
| Carlisle, Coatbridge (M74, A89) M73 Glasgow A8 |
Start of motorway | |
| Baillieston | J9 | No access |
| Easterhouse, Barlanark | J10 | Easterhouse, Baillieston |
| Garthamlock, Queenslie B765 | J11 | Stepps, Queenslie B765 |
| Riddrie, Stepps A80 | J12 | Riddrie, Stepps A80 |
| Stirling, Kincardine Bridge M80 | J13 | Blochairn, Parkhead |
| Blochairn, Dennistoun B763 | J14 | No access |
| Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Cross, Kirkintilloch A803 | J15 | Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Cross A803 |
| No access | J16 | Aberfoyle, George Square (A81) |
| Dumbarton A82 | J17 | Dumbarton A82 |
| Anderston, Charing Cross (No exit from main carriageway) Glasgow city centre |
J18 | Kelvingrove, Charing Cross |
| Clydebank, S.E.C.C. A814 No exit from main carriageway |
J19 | Clydebank, S.E.C.C. A814 |
| No access | J20 | Tradeston, East Kilbride (A730) |
| Tradeston, East Kilbride (A8, A730) Carlisle M74 (opens June 2011) |
J21 | No access |
| No access | J22 | Kilmarnock, Prestwick Airport M77 |
| No access | J23 | Govan, Ibrox B768 |
| Govan, Kilmarnock (M77) A761 | J24 | Paisley, Bellahouston A761 |
| Clyde Tunnel A739 | J25 | Clyde Tunnel A739 |
| No access | J25a | Braehead |
| Hillington, Braehead A736 | J26 | Hillington, Renfrew (A8) A736 |
| Paisley, Renfrew A741 | J27 | Paisley, Renfrew A741 |
| No access | J28 | Glasgow Airport |
| No access | J28a | Irvine A737 |
| Glasgow Airport, Irvine, Paisley A737, A726 | J29 | Paisley A726 |
| Erskine, Erskine Bridge M898 | J30 | Erskine, Erskine Bridge M898 |
| Start of motorway | J31 | Bishopton A8 |
| Bishopton A8 Non-motorway traffic |
Road becomes A8 towards Greenock | |
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